Safety switch



May 19, 1931., M. CHARLES SAFETY SWITCH Filed Aug. 29', 1928 2 Ill Ill I ma kc J v w V 0 o .J e

Patented May 19,1931

' MAURICE CHARLES, COUBBEVOIE, FRANCE sunny swrrcn Application filed August 88, 1988, Serial 1T0. 808,681, and. in France September 87, 1887.

My invention relates to safety switches of the type which, first,- breaks the circuit including the battery and starter of an automobile, and, second, renders the i ition circuit E inoperative at the same time, y groundin the magneto. These two operations are e fected automatically if the automobile turns over.

Briefly outlined, my invention consists of a switch of the character indicated comprising a receptacle of an insulating material containing a certain quantity of mercury in which is disposed a plunger floating thereon likewise of insulating material adapted to be lowered by manual controlling means in such a way that the level of mercury rises around thesaid'fioatingplunger. Inthe said receptacle are provided three metallic terminals, one connected to the ground (consisting of the frame of the vehicle), the second to battery circuit, and the third to the magneto ground terminal. a

Thewhole is arranged in such wise that when the vehicle is stopped, the battery circuit will'be normall open and the magneto grounded. Thus, if? during stopping of the vehicle, the starter pedal be pushed in, the? motor cannot be started until the switch has been operated. When the switch is brought into play the floating plunger descends to close the battery circuit at that point and the ground is simultaneously removed from the magneto. Obviously the reverse takes place 4 y when the plunger is allowed to rise.

' hicle' accidentally, the mercury automatically flows to the other end of the switch and not only is the battery circuit 0 ned but also the magneto ground is re-esta lished, so

that risks or fire are prevented.-

The following description taken in connection with the accompanyin drawings given by way of example will ena lo the invention to be well understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings- .Fig. 1 is a sectional view of my switch taken along the line 11 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2 -2 of Fig. 1; and

In the case of the turning over of the ve- 1 spring m is and consequently the circuit tween the two rings d and e is broken. a t

Fig. 3 is a broken horizontal section along the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring to t e drawings, my switch consists of a cup at of moulded insulating material provided with a cover b and filled to about A; of its capacity with mercury c. y

In the bod of the cup a are buried two metallicrings and 6, whose surfaces are flush with the wall of the cup and which are re- .spectively connected to the battery terminal to be able to come into contact with a cam a rigid on a shaft 0, turning in a metallic bearmg p provided in the body o f'the cup at and in electrical connection with the framed.

In the position shown inliig. Li the starter circuit is open, the two rings a? and e ioeing insulated with respect to each other. The magneto is grounded by means of: the hlede ring m Y which comes into contact w th t e cam.

For opening the circuit of the magneto and closing that of the starter, a hutton' g on the shaft 0 is turned half a revolution.

The cam n leaves the spring lolade Z, opening the circuit of the magneto to the ound, and causes pressure on the piston 3 which moves to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig.2. The said plunger is pushed into the mercur a which. rises in the grooves k to a point a vs the ring d. p

The circuit of the starter is closed at the same time, through thimble 9, rod 7, rin d, mercury a, ring 0, rod h and the frame 0 the chassis z and if the vehicle turns over the mercury falls back to the side where go 10 made in my device without departing Patent No. 609,533 of January 19, 1926, for locking m switch in circuit open position.

Obvious y many modifications may be the s irit of the invention as com ended within the scope of the ap nde claims.

For example, instead 0 grounding the magneto, the contact blade may be adapted it to I cpen a Delco battery ignition circuit. aving thus described my invention what Lclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. In a safety switchmf the type described, an the combination of a magneto ound ter minal, a battery circuit groun terminal, fluid contact means connected in series with said last-mentioned ground terminal and manually operable means for simultaneously as disconnecting said magneto ground terminal and closing said flui contact means, said battery ground terminal being adapted to be disconnected and said magneto ground terminal connected upon inversion of said .0 switch. 1

' 2. In a safety switch of the type described, the combination of a vertical cup of insulating material, a battery circuit ground termina a contact ring within said cu connected as to said terminal, a second termina connected to the ground, a contact ring for said second terminal within said cup, mercury insaid cup in contact with said last rin only, a magneto ground terminal at the ot er end of said plunger of insulating material in said cup, and manually operab e means for simultaneously causing said plunger to, descend and disconnecting said magneto ground terminal from the ground.

o cup with respect to said first terminals, a

3 In a safety switch of the type described, the combination of a cup of insulating ma-' terial, a battery circuit ground terminal, a contact ring within said cup connected to said terminal, 'a second terminal connected to the ground, a contact ring for said second termi nal within said on mercury in said cup in contact with said set ring only, amagneto ground terminal at the other end of said cup with respect to-said first terminals, a plunger of insulating material in said cup a manually operable cam in contact with the ground adapted to depress said plunger-when moved to its lower position, and a spri contact on sa d ma eto terminal adapte d to, contact with sa i cam when said cam is in its upper position.

4. In a safety switch of the typedescribed, the combination of a cup of insulatin mateas nal, a battery circuit ground tcrmina a confrom I v cury, a spring blade'attached to said magneto .nal, a second ring within said casing disposed tact ring within said cup cdnnected to said terminal, a second terminal connected to the ground, a contact ring for said second terminal within said cup, mercury in said cup in contact with said ast ring only, a m eto ground terminal at the other end of sai cup with respect to said first terminals, and manually operable means for simultaneously raising the level of said mercury and disconnecting said magneto ground terminal from the ground.

5. In a switch of the type described, the combination of a battery circuit ound terminal, a magneto circuit termina manually controlled means for establishing and opening aground circuit'for said ma eto terminal'and a mercury switchada to to open and close aground circuit to sai batter terminal controlled by operation 'of sai means, said mercury switch being adapted to automatically open circuit to said batteryterminal and close the circuit of said ma eto terminal when said switch is inverte 6. In a switch of'the type described, the combination of a casing of insulating material, a battery circuit ground terminal secured to said casing, a ma eto circuit ground terminal secured to said casing, a ring'within said casing connected to said battery v terminal, a second ring within said casing disposed in spaced relation with respect to said first ring, means for grounding said second ring, mercury in said casing;i a piston of msulating material adapted to oat on said mer- 100 ground terminal and manually operated means normally for depressing said piston in said mercury for the purpose described.

7. In a switch of the type described, the combination of a casing of insulating material, a battery circuit ground terminal securedto said casing, a magneto circuit ground terminal secured to said casing, a ring within said casing connected to said battery termiin spaced relation with respect to said first ring, means for grounding said second ring, mercury in said casin a piston of insulating material adapted to oaton said mercury, a spring blade attached to said magneto ground 11! terminal, a rotatably mountedmetallic shaft in said casing connected with the ground and a cam on said shaft adapted to interconnect K said spring and said metallicshaft and to depress said piston in said mercury when moved away from said spring.

8. In a switch of the type described, the combination of a casing of insulating material, a battery circuit ground terminal 90- cured tosaid casing, a magneto circuit ground terminal secured to said casing, a ring within said casing connected to said batter terminal, a second ring within said casing iegiose'd in spaced relation with respect to sai' first ring, means for grounding said second ring,

dinal grooves formed in the periphery 0 mercury in said casin a piston of insulating material adapted to cat on said mercury, a spring blade attached to said magneto ground terminal, manually 0 rated means connecting said spring with t e ground when the motor is stopped and adapted to depress said piston in said mercury and a plurality of longitudinal grooves formed in the periphery of said piston whereby said mercury automatically opens the ground connection to said battery terminal and grounds said magneto terminal whensaid switch is inverted.

9. In a switch of the type described, the combination of a casing of insulatin material, a battery circuit ground terminal secured to said casing, 21 magneto circuit ground terminal secured to said casing, 11 ring within said casing connected to said batter terminal, a second ring within said casing isposed in n spaced relation with respect to said first ring,

means for ounding said second ring, mercury in sai casing, a piston of insulated material adapted to float on said mercury, a spring blade attached to said magneto terminal, a metallic rotatably mounted shaft in said casing, connected with the ground, a cam, on said shaft adapted to interconnect said spring and said metallic shaft and to depress said piston in said mercury when moved away from said spring'and a plurality of lonfgitusaid piston whereby said mercury automatically opens the'ground connection to said battery terminal and grounds said magneto terminal a when said switch is inverted.

I In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

- MAURICE CHARLES. 

